Brandon Police Report: A week plagued with accidents and deaths

BRANDON — It was a busy week for Brandon Police. Along with numerous motor vehicle incidents, officers were called to a medical emergency, received a lewd and lascivious complaint, and encountered a death during a welfare check.

On the afternoon of Feb. 13, police were notified of a hit-and-run accident on Conant Square. A witness had observed a woman back into a parked truck in front of the residence and then saw the individual run into the Brandon Town Hall. The complainant indicated that his vehicle did not sustain any known damage and at this time, did not want to pursue the matter further.

In the early afternoon of Feb. 14, Police were asked to check the welfare of a Mulcahy Drive resident who had not contacted a family member in some time. When responding officers checked the apartment, they discovered the male in question was deceased. A death investigation was then conducted by Brandon Police and the Vermont Medical Examiners’ Office. Later in the day, police dispatch received a report of a motor vehicle operating erratically on Union Street. Since Brandon officers were occupied with the untimely death investigation at the time, they were unable to respond to check the area, but issued a Be on the Lookout to neighboring agencies for the vehicle of interest in case they should happen to come across it while on patrol.

Police also assisted a Pearl Street resident, whose tablet had been delivered to an address in Georgia rather than her home. The complainant requested a lost property report be placed on-file so that she could get a replacement tablet through the company she purchased it from.

February 15 turned out to be a quieter day. Police served without incident a restraining order to both remove an individual from a home on Valley View Drive and to secure that person’s firearms

The lull in activity was short-lived. On Feb. 16 police received a report of a suspicious vehicle in the Heritage Family Credit union parking lot just before 10 a.m. The complainant thought that someone might be sleeping inside the vehicle. The investigating officer found that the individual was a private investigator and was on an assignment in the area.

Closer to noon, while police were investigating a man for sending lewd and illicit material to a vulnerable adult on Mulcahy Drive, the investigating officer discovered that the suspect had been found deceased in Fair Haven. The investigation into the abuse of a vulnerable adult was subsequently closed following this revelation. At around the same time an officer on routine patrol witnessed a tractor-trailer unit back into a light post at the intersection of Union Street and Maple Street, causing damage. The operator was stopped and identified. The owner of the light post was not concerned with the damage and did not request an exchange of information.

Later in the afternoon an officer responded to a report of a runaway juvenile at Otter Valley Union High School. The youth in question had taken off into the woods during a fire incident at the school. Teachers, as well as the officer, searched the immediate grounds. Soon after the student was located inside the school.

That evening police received report of a car fire on Grove Street near Lovers Lane. The fire was apparently a result of mechanical issue. The vehicle was totally engulfed in flames upon the arrival of the responding officer and was quickly extinguished by Brandon Fire, which had also responded to the location. The vehicle was ultimately towed away from the scene. The operator of the vehicle was uninjured and was given a courtesy ride to her destination.

The following day, Feb. 17, police received report of a single car crash in a parking lot on Court Drive in which a car struck the base of a light post due to the icy weather conditions. The front tire and rim on the vehicle were damaged, making the vehicle undriveable. No damage was sustained to the cement pole. Thunder Towing later responded to the scene and towed the car.

In the afternoon a suspicious male entered Union Street Grocery and tried to return some plastic bottles with needles inside of them. Police are investigating the incident. 

Just over an hour later police responded to a request for a welfare check by a female caller that resided on Franklin Street who had not heard from her elderly neighbors in a few weeks. The police department was able to contact the neighbors, who were doing fine. The neighbors were advised to contact the complainant to assure her that they were okay.

On February 18 police assisted Vermont State Police – New Haven with a DUI in Leicester on Route 7. The suspect was arrested on suspicion of DUI and the Brandon officer stood by on-scene for the tow truck to arrive due to the hazardous location. A domestic disturbance on River Street drew police attention later in the day. The verbal dispute did not involve physical violence, but neither party would leave the residence. With police encouragement, both agreed to “stay away” from one another for the rest of the night.

That night police were once again called to River Street, where a male had been reported as unconscious and choking. The responding officer rendered first aid until Brandon Area Rescue arrived.

In other activity, Brandon Police:

On Feb. 13

• Took fingerprints for nursing licenses.

• Patrolled Center Street area and reported no activity 

• Responded to a hit and run on Conant Square. 

• Stopped a car driving on Park Street without headlights on and issued driver a warning

On Feb. 14

• Began investigation into a death on Mulcahy Drive. 

• Assisted a Pearl Street resident with package delivery issue. 

• Received a complaint of an erratic driver on Union Street. 

On Feb. 15

• Took fingerprints for nursing license, foster care and school employment.

• Served a restraining order to a resident on Valley View Drive. served in-hand without incident.

• Verified a VIN number for a Brandon resident.

• Patrolled Center Street on foot. 

On Feb. 16

• Investigated a suspicious vehicle on Franklin Street. 

• Investigated lewd and illicit material being sent to a vulnerable adult. 

11:33:39 Traffic Stop Marble St Motor vehicle stop on Marble Street for speeding. Warning issued to the operator.

• Addressed a minor tractor-trailer accident on Franklin Street. 

• Responded to a juvenile problem at Otter Valley Union High School. 

• Took fingerprints for school volunteering, school employment, nursing license and student teacher/observer 

• Posted a property watch notice at a Mount Pleasant Drive residence. 

• Began an investigation of Disorderly Conduct on Franklin Street. 

• Enforced speed on Franklin Street, stopping two vehicles. No tickets issued.

• Made traffic stops on Marble Street and Franklin Steet Franklin Street for speeding, issuing three warnings. 

• Assisted with a car fire on Grove Street

• Responded to an alarm on Franklin Street. 

On Feb. 17

• Responded to a single-car crash on Court Drive. 

• Investigated a suspicious event at Union Street Grocery. 

• Made a welfare check on a resident on Franklin Street. 

• responded to a crash on Center Street involving property damage only. 

On Feb. 18

• Enforced speed limit on Grove Street, stopping two cars and issuing a ticket and a warning. 

• Conducted property watches at Hawk Hill Guns and Ammo on Franklin Street, Union Street Grocery on Union Street, and Jiffy Mart on Grove Street.

• Responded to an alarm in Conant Square, later determined to be faulty. 

On Feb. 19

• Enforced speed limit on Franklin Street.

• Made two traffic stops on Grove for speeding. Issued warnings for speeding and defective equipment and tickets for speeding and for not having liability insurance. 

• Assisted VSP-New Haven with a DUI in Leicester on Route 7. 

• Responded to a domestic disturbance River Street. 

• Assisted Brandon Area rescue with a medical emergency on River Street. 

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